Dog pregnancy calculator
Enter the date of the first mating, or the ovulation date from progesterone tests. You get the due date, the normal whelping range and what to do on each day of the pregnancy.
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Guidance only – always follow your vet. Dates are averages from standard veterinary reproduction references.
How long is a dog pregnant?
63 days from ovulation, give or take a day. That is the most reliable way to date a dog pregnancy, and the reason breeders use progesterone tests: the test series tells you the ovulation day.
Counted from the mating, the range is much wider: about 58 to 68 days. Sperm can survive for several days in the female, and the eggs need about two more days to mature after ovulation. A mating on day 1 of standing heat and one on day 5 can produce the same litter. If you only know the mating date, plan for the whole range.
Example: first mating on 1 March 2027. Counted from the mating, the due date is 3 May 2027, and puppies can arrive any day from 28 April to 8 May. If progesterone tests showed ovulation on 3 March, the due date is 5 May (4 to 6 May): a much narrower window.
Pregnancy timeline at a glance
| Day | Step | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Day 28 | Ultrasound to confirm pregnancy | From about this day your vet can confirm the pregnancy on ultrasound. |
| Day 35 | Start increasing food | Increase her food gradually over the last weeks, as your vet advises. |
| Day 55 | X-ray to count puppies | The puppies' skeletons now show on X-ray, so your vet can count them. |
| Day 56 | Set up the whelping box | Put it somewhere quiet and warm and let her get used to it. |
| Day 58 | Take her temperature twice a day | Rectal temperature morning and evening. A drop of about 1 °C (2 °F) usually means puppies within 12–24 hours. |
| Day 63 | Due date | Most litters dated from ovulation arrive within a day of this date. |
Signs that whelping is near
A drop in rectal temperature of about 1 °C (to roughly 37 °C / 99 °F) usually means puppies within 24 hours. Call your vet if she strains hard for 30 minutes without a puppy, or if more than 2 hours pass between puppies.
From about day 56, take her rectal temperature twice a day. A drop of about 1 °C (2 °F), often to 37.2 °C (99 °F) or lower, means whelping usually starts within 12–24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a due date from the mating date?
Less accurate than one from ovulation. From the mating, puppies can arrive anywhere from about day 58 to day 68. From an ovulation date found with progesterone tests, most litters arrive on day 63, give or take a day.
When can a vet confirm that my dog is pregnant?
An ultrasound from about four weeks (around day 28) can confirm the pregnancy. An X-ray from about day 55 shows the skeletons, which is the best way to count the puppies before the birth.
She is past the end of the range. What should I do?
Call your vet. The dates may be off, but an overdue litter needs a check, especially if she shows signs of labour without puppies arriving or has a green or dark discharge without a puppy.
Is this veterinary advice?
No. The dates are standard averages from veterinary reproduction references. Breeds and dogs vary, so always follow your vet.
More free breeding tools
- Progesterone levels chart and ovulation calculator: ovulation day and best days to breed
- Dog heat cycle calculator: when the next heat is due
- Puppy weight gain calculator: checks whether a newborn puppy is gaining enough
- Sire & Dam app: heats, progesterone, pregnancies and litters in one place
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